HYDERABAD: With many districts across the state seeing a continuing rise in Covid-19 cases — most recording over 50 cases in the last one week — the health infrastructure is now at a tipping point.
In Nagarkurnool for instance, of the 21 beds, only one is available. Medchal district, which has seen 445 cases in the past one week, has only 30 beds in government hospitals and not a single ICU bed, according to data from the state health department.

The situation in Rangareddy too is serious. The district has recorded 1,108 cases in one week — the highest after Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area — but has only 210 beds of which 22 are ICU beds. Meanwhile, the MGM Hospital in Warangal has only 55 of its 255 beds available. The district has seen 577 cases over the last seven days.
Currently, many districts have 20 to 70 beds available in government hospitals while 20 of the 33 districts have less than ten ICU beds. An acute shortage is expected due to surge in cases. Narrating the situation in Warangal, a patient whose several family members have tested positive tweeted, “This is Vijaykumar form Warangal am infected with Covid-19. My wife’s father had passed away with Covid. I have child aged 10 and my wife is also infected with Covid. We are unable to take private hospital treatment. Government hospital beds not available (sic).”
“Hi sir my name Hariprasad from Nalgonda, suffering from Covid-19 for more than one week. Daily I am going to the government hospital but no one is taking responsibility, no kits, no tests (sic),” tweeted Chinthakuntla Hariprasad adding that he is a barber and has no money since his shop had been closed. He is among many who have tagged actor Sonu Sood along with state health authorities for help.
Interestingly, as per the daily bulletin, of the 8,446 beds available in government facilities, 6,204 are currently vacant while 1,465 of the 4,497 beds in private hospitals across the state are vacant.
“Some districts which were formed last year have less infrastructure. To counter the problem, doctors have been placed round-the-clock and treatment is being initiated as soon as flu symptoms are identified. This strategy was devised to prevent patients getting into critical stage,” said a senior official from the state health department.